Various folding doors or partitions are provided in the art for closing off spaces such as closets or rooms or the like. The folding doors generally comprise a plurality of metal, wood, or plastic sheet members, i.e., slats, that are flexibly hinged together along their length.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,731 to Runca discloses a metal panel, i.e., a slat and hinge assembly, for use in a folding door. U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,731 is incorporated herein by this reference. Although not shown, it is disclosed that this folding door assembly is mounted in an opening with "the usual suspension hardware".
Commonly, suspension hardware comprises a hanger which includes a wheel assembly connected to each panel. Additionally, the suspension hardware includes a track connected above an opening wherein the wheel assembly portion of the hanger rides in the track. Thus, the folding door is suspended from the track for movement along the length of the track. The slats can, therefore, fold against each other when the sliding door is in its OPEN position and can be extended from each other across the opening when the door is in its CLOSED position. One end of the folding door is generally fixed to one side of the opening with the other end free to be pulled across the opening to its opposite side. A latch is generally on the free end so that the door can be latched to the opposite side of the opening.
Generally, folding doors are provided that can be pulled from right to left across the opening, i.e., a right-hand door, or conversely can be pulled from left to right across the opening, i.e., a left-hand door.
Folding doors are generally assembled at the factory. The assembly procedure can, for example, comprise first securely connecting a hanger to the top of each slat provided. This can be accomplished by forming one or more holes through one end of the slat and crimping the slat and hanger together. Alternatively, the hanger can be screwed or bolted or otherwise connected to the end of the slat. The slats are then hinged together along their length. At one end of the hinged slat assembly, a latch section can be provided and, at the other end, a mounting section can be provided. The mounting section is provided so that the end of the folding door to which the mounting section is attached can be fixed to one side of the opening. The latch section comprises a latch for latching the folding door to the opposite side of the opening when the door is extended across the opening.
The above described method of assembly of a folding door at the factory can present several problems.
For example, when panels such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,731 to Runca are used, two different configurations of the panel and connected hanger must be provided so that the panels can be hinged together as shown. This increases the cost and complexity of the manufacturing operation.
Problems are also encountered after the panels of the folding door are hinged together for shipment.
Firstly, a hanger which is attached to each panel can be broken or otherwise damaged during shipment. Since the hanger is crimped or otherwise securely attached to the panel, it cannot be easily removed and replaced in the field. The entire folding door can, therefore, be rejected by the customer and sent back to the factory for replacement of the hanger. This increases the cost of a folding door and additionally is unsatisfactory to the customer.
Secondly, folding doors can be provided with panels wherein one side of each panel is decorated as, for instance, by wood graining or the like. The wood grain side of the folding door is designed to face into a room after the door is installed. When the hangers and the latch and mounting sections are assembled at the factory, the wood grained folding door provided can be used only as a right-hand door or a left-hand door, depending on the placement of the hanger and the latch and mounting sections. Therefore, both right and left-handed doors must be supplied to the customer. This increases the cost of manufacturing and warehousing and the like and results in a more expensive product.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a hanger for each panel of a foldable door that can be readily installed in the field, rather than at the factory. Preferably, the hanger can be installed on either end of each slat in the hinged assembly of slats so that only one door assembly need be provided for use either as a right-handed or left-handed door. The desired hanger is durable, easy to manufacture, and relatively simple to install in the field. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a hanger that, once installed, can be readily removed from the panel without damaging either the hanger or the panel.